Is there a preferred type of connection when using an email client?

Yes. As long as you have a steady, reasonable internet connection, use Google Sync for Microsoft Office (if you are using Outlook) or IMAP. Read our more detailed information (including a comparison)

Only if you are in the field with a bad internet connection do we recommend POP3. Google introduces special problems with POP3 that you should avoid if possible.

Can I switch from a POP3 connection in my email client to IMAP?

Yes. The process is straightforward for those that understand a little about how POP3 and IMAP work. If you are uncertain, contact the Global Help Desk and they will be happy to assist you, perhaps remotely connecting to your computer and making this change for you.

Do I have a backup copy of my Google email?

No. Also, we recommend that you do not store messages in the Trash. It is emptied every 30 days. Caution: If you delete the contents of your All Mail label (when using the Web interface), ALL of your mail will be deleted.

Can I retain my consumer Gmail account?

Yes.

Can I log into more than one G Suite/Gmail account at the same time?

Yes.

Option #1: Use a different browser to log into a different account. This is easy and lets you switch between accounts by switching screens. You have full access to each account's contacts, calendar, Google Drive. Disadvantages include needing to log into each account each time, familiarity of using each browser and the extra memory the second browser consumes.

Option #2 (better): Add additional accounts to the first login, providing easy access to these other Inboxes in other tabs within the same browser. You only need to provide login credentials for the additional accounts once. Refer to Google's "Sign in to multiple accounts at once".

What is Inbox by Gmail?

Inbox by Gmail has been available for a while but has only been available for Google Apps accounts since late summer 2016. For more information about Inbox by Gmail, click here.

In what ways is Inbox by Gmail better than Gmail?

Three great features that might make this better than Gmail:

Integrated reminder system - Click on a red "+" icon, chose the reminder icon, type your reminder and then Save. The reminder will now appear at the top of your Inbox. You can also click the clock icon to snooze the reminder until you're ready. Great for small personal tasks.

Bundles - You can create bundles where certain categories of messages like promotions, purchase histories, and updates are grouped together. Everything is organized and contained, so you don't have to spend time on it until you're ready.

Highlights - Lets you see the key components of an Inbox message without ever having to open it.

Am I still able to use my email program to access my email?

Yes, as long as you used a supported email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Windows 10 Mail)..

What email client should I use?

We encourage you to try using Google's Gmail webmail system (gmail.com). Being familiar with this interface will certainly be useful for those time when a web browser will be the only tool you have available to access your account.

Otherwise, as long as you use one of the SIL-supported email clients, GTIS does not list clients in any order of preference. While all clients work well, each has features and/or a look-and-feel that you may like better than another. An alphabetical list ways to access your email is provided below, along with a non-exhaustive list of information that may help steer you towards the best tool for you. Since all but Microsoft Outlook are free, you may install more than one and perform your own analysis to determine which email client to settle on.

Email Client

Platform

Advantages

Apple Mail

Apple

Free
Pre-installedSupport from AppleAccess to the corporate directory

Gmail app

Mobile devices

Automatic syncing of email, contacts, calendar with online

Microsoft Outlook

Windows

Not freeFull featured, powerfulUsing Google's GSSMO plug-in, full syncing of most content (email, contacts, calendar, etc)Support from MicrosoftAccess to the corporate directory

Thunderbird

Apple, Linux, Windows

FreeEasy to useEasy (almost automatic) to configure your accountDoes not require enabling "Allow less secure apps"Automatic updatesInterface common to other email clientsAdd-ons available for calendar and contact syncing online

Webmail

Any browser

Use any supported browserAll content stored onlineAccess to the corporate directory

Windows 10 Mail

Windows 10

FreePre-installedSupport from Microsoft Windows 10 requiredInterface newConfiguration/settings hard to find at times

Your email client may have been working happily for a long time and then suddenly begin asking for your username and password. Though you use the same credentials when logging in online, your email program simply refuses to accept the same information. In most cases, the issue is not that the username and password you are using are incorrect.

Google decided that some apps and devices use less secure sign-in technology which makes your account move vulnerable. Their list of less secure apps unfortunately includes most of the email clients we support and which you may have been using for years. With the one exception of Thunderbird, the only option for all other email clients is to override Google's setting by allowing less secure apps. Simply go to this page and turn on this setting.

Create a filter. Click the Search arrow. Enter the criteria for your filter, and then click Create filter with this search. Specify the actions you want; in this case, select Apply the label.

You can also add a filter by selecting the gear icon > Settings> Filters, and then Create new. This action also displays the Search dialog box. In order to to make it a filter, click Create filter with this search.

Can I use my Outlook Distribution Lists in Google?

Users can choose to continue using Outlook and their distribution lists BUT these distribution lists are not synchronized with the online account. Note: The maximum number of recipients is 99 per message.

What can I do when I have trouble sending attachments?

Can I mark a composed message as important prior to sending it?

No. We suggest that you use the Subject line to indicate the level of importance.

Is there a limit to how many recipients I can send a message to at one time?

Yes. When using an email client, such as Outlook or Thunderbird, the limit is 99, as explained inthis Google support page. If you need to send the same message to more than 99 recipients, such as in a news update to partners, we suggest:

Use the Google Mail Web interface (which has a limit of 500 recipients), or

Divide your message into sets of 99, and then send it multiple times, or

Use a mailing service such as MailChimp.

Can I access my Google Mail and Calendar offline?

Yes, if you use the Chrome browser. See this support page for Mail. See this support page for Calendar. NOTE: When in offline mode, the calendar is read-only, unlike Google Mail Offline which allows a user to reply, create, and delete messages offline.

Is there a way to save an email message as a file as in Outlook?

Yes. Open the message. In the message heading, click the More arrow and then selectPrint. In the Print dialog box, under Destination, select Change. In the Select a destination dialog box, select Save as PDF or Send to OneNote. When using Chrome, you can also select Save to Google Drive.

Is there a way to reply within the text of an email message (inline) when using the Google Mail Web interface?

Yes, you can reply by inserting your response directly below a question or comment in the original text. Open the message and then click Reply. If you do not see the original text, click the ellipses (...). Type your reply. Read the full explanation.

Google incorrectly identified something as Spam that I really wanted to see. What can I do to make sure I don’t lose messages that Google incorrectly identifies as Spam?

If you find a message wrongly classified as spam, you can unmark the message. Select the message, and click the Not Spam button that appears at the top and bottom of your current view. Unmarking a message will automatically move it to your inbox. Read more. This procedure teaches Google that a message is not Spam.

Using the Google Mail Web interface, you can create a filter that will send messages identified as Spam to the Inbox rather than bypassing it and going directly to the Spam folder. The desired result is not always immediate, but rather may require repeated action. Remember, if you do this, you have forfeited our spam protection.

What is a Phishing email and how do I protect against this?

Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to trick individuals into sharing personal and sensitive information. The attempt typically involves a crafted email with hyperlinks to a website intentionally created to collect information from unsuspecting victims. An attacker may be sending out a generic phishing email to a large number of individuals in order to compromise unwary recipients, or he or she may be targeting you or your organization specifically known as ‘spear phishing’ due to the focused nature of the attempt

To pull off a successful spear phishing campaign, the attacker will research details about you and our organization to find valid names (including from our ministry partners) and other phrases to use such as project and organization names. The attacker may have even compromised the account of someone you communicate with so they can craft emails from their account.

Here are tips on what to watch for and how to respond.

1. Think before you click

a. Always be careful before clicking on any content in an email, including links and attachments.

b. In some cases a single click is all that is required for your machine to be compromised.

c. Take note of any irregularities in the sender. Double check the domain name, recipient list, subject line, message, etc.

d. Inspect the destination of a hyperlink. You can do this by hovering over the link with your mouse or a long-press on a mobile device. When you hover over a link, you can preview the destination.

2. Keep and eye on shared documents. Invitations to view shared documents are a common attack strategy. Beware any such emails. On Google Apps, legitimate sharing messages will come from either drive-shares-noreply@google.com, or the email of the person sharing the document.

3. Know your URLs. Never enter your Google account credentials on anything other than the actual Google login page. Look closely at the URL bar. For Google, this would be https://accounts.google.com

4. Report anything that looks Phishy. Click the Report Phishing (when available) or Report Spam options in Google Mail (online) to alert Google of the email so they can identify and block related emails for other recipients.

5. Unsure if Phishy? If the email appears to be directly targeting your organization in some way, or you’re just not sure if it is safe, here are a few tips to follow:

I. If the purported sender is someone you know, contact him or her directly to verify if he or she sent the email. Contact this person through a method other than email. If his or her email account has been compromised, an imposter can simply reply in the affirmative to any email response you send.

II. Forward a copy of the email to your organization’s security team or IT help desk so they can help assess and respond to the situation.

6. Did you fall for it? If you believe you may have fallen victim and provided your account credentials or other sensitive information through a phishing site, please report it immediately. Your support or incident response team will walk you through the steps you should take, including changing your password and looking for suspicious activity on your account.

7. Arm yourself with these tools: Don’t reuse your Google account (or any other important account) password on other sites. 2-Step Verification on Google accounts makes it harder for an attacker to access your account, but it doesn’t prevent them from using that password to access other accounts where the same password may be used. Having trouble keeping track of more than one password? You’re not alone. Use a password manager (we like KeePass)!

Will I be able to access Google mail with my slow Internet access?

Yes. If using the webmail interface, Google may automatically switch you to their basic HTML mode. Some functionality is lost but offers a small performance boost.

If you use an email client, it is advised to use a POP3 connection. Note that we strongly recommend using an IMAP connection but realize that POP3 may be the only option that works is very remote places. (See our discussion about why.) We suggest you take a look at our Village Setup discussion, which presents a way to avoid downloading large emails, saving both time and cost plus decreases the likelihood of an unstable internet connection aborting your email send/receive. Additionally, you may need to increase the "connection timeout" settings in your email client.

I often get sent messages in my Inbox, especially Out of Office messages.

1. Are you sending messages from the Google Web interface, or only from your email client? Per this article, email sent from the Google Web interface is likely to show up in your POP client's Inbox.
2. Are you using Recent mode? This is a known issue in Recent mode and you must create a Google filter to resolve it.

What is Recent Mode?

Recent Mode is a synchronizing method when using Post Office Protocol (POP) for a Google Mail account on more than one device or client. Read about Recent Mode

Why "Recent"? That is because Recent Mode shows only your last 30 days of emails. This means that you will not see email already downloaded to another device if you don't check your email at least every 30 days.

How can I restore an archived message back into my Inbox or another "folder"?

Find the message in "All Mail"

Select the message

Click the Move to Inbox button at the top of your screen. If you actually want to move the message to a different "folder" (aka Label), use the icon to the right of the Move to Inbox button, pull down the list, and select where you wish the message to be moved to.

How do I change my sender name in Gmail?

With a few easy steps, you can change your name for sent messages into anything you want. We don't suggest anything crazy but this is an opportunity to personalize your email.

Click on the Settings gear at the top of your Gmail inbox, then click Settings

Click the Accounts tab, then find the Send mail as: section

Select the edit info link directly across from the sender name you'd like to change

Enter in your new sender name in the text box below your current sender name

Save Changes

What is the difference between Vacation Message and Canned Responses?

While very easy and handy, Gmail's Vacation Message (found at the bottom of the General page for Gmail Settings) has one significant limitation: once it is enabled, it will act like an auto-reply the first time someone emails you but will not if the same person emails you again. Google figures that the person was told once and doesn't want to annoy the sender every time.

Canned responses, on the other hand, offers two benefits: 1) those that you set up can be used repeatedly in normal email correspondence and 2) when used in a filter, will reply every time to a sender, reinforcing your message.

To enable and use canned responses as an auto response:

Step 1. From the your
Google Apps web client, click on the Gear and choose “Settings” and then “Labs” from
the menu line. Find the option for “Canned Responses” (you can search for it) and click
“Enable” to turn this option on.

Step 2. Select “Compose”
(above the Inbox folder”) to open a new message form and fill in the subject
and message text you want people to get in the auto response message.
Then in the bottom right corner, click on the drop-down arrow for more options
and choose “canned response” and then “new canned response”. Then in the
pop-up box, enter a name for this response.

Step 3. To create the auto response, go back to the “Settings” menu and
choose “Filters” and “Create a new filter”. In the “From” box, enter either an asterisk (*) for everyone or a
person’s emailaddress (so that only
messages sent from this address will get the auto response). Select “Create
filter with this search”. You may have to acknowledge a "confirm" message. You should now be able to see the option for
“Send canned response”. Select that option and choose the canned response
name for the message you want to send out and then click “Create filter”.

Normally all email text will automatically wrap to the next line when you make the browser window narrower and to the previous line when made wider. Text in some emails you receive may not wrap to the next line, causing you to either make the browser window wider or use the horizontal scrollbar to read the right part of a line of text.

There are two reasons this happens:

The email contains an image (perhaps a banner at the top) that is too wide. Google will only reduce the width with word-wrapping until it reaches the width of the widest image/banner. Beyond this point, using the horizontal scrollbar will be necessary. The resolution is to simply insert narrower images/banners.

Google has it's default minimum width (pretty low) that it will impose on an email, whether it has any images or not. This will very rarely be an issue since it's so narrow.

Why are only newer emails now showing in Microsoft Outlook? Why is older email missing?

This can happen if you are using Microsoft Outlook with the Google Sync plug-in (GASMO), By default, GASMO only downloads the most recent 1G of email. You can be increase this by clicking the Google Sync icon in your System Tray and choosing "Set mailbox size limit..." from the popup menu. Be aware that setting a higher limit can result in slow performance (because it is synchronizing more) and, once raised, cannot be lowered. This could be done again, but that may not be recommended.

Once the limit is increased, Google Sync will once again download older content.

Frankly, the better solution is to cleaning out some of your older/obsolete email messages to keep your storage size under 1G. In particular, empty your Trash folder and clean out older email from your Sent folder. Finally, also check for emails with large attachments which can be saved to your hard disk and then the emails deleted..

Whether you change the mailbox size limit or not, you can always see all of your mail via the web site, www.gmail.com.

How do I change my Sender name in G Suite (Gmail)?

With a few steps you can change your name for sent messages into anything you want. Don't change it to anything crazy though.

Click on the Settings gear at the top of your Gmail inbox, then click Settings.

Click the Accounts tab, then find the Send mail as: section

Select the edit info link directly across from the sender name you'd like to change,

Enter in your new sender name in the text box below your current sender name

I use Outlook and am getting a "Could not complete the operation because the service provider does not support it." error when trying to send an email. Why?

This error occurs when the Outlook profile includes an account using G Suite (Google Apps) Sync and another account using IMAP. When replying or forwarding mail from the secondary account you get this error message. While the problem is probably not caused by Google, they have provided a work around that appears to work.

I've been using the POP3 connection in my email client and want to switch to IMAP or (for Outlook) GSSMO. What do I need to do?

SIL Google Admin has prepared a document that a technician needs to work from for a move from POP3 to IMAP or GSSMO. As this process demonstrates, it is advisable you enlist the help of some competent, tech-savvy person to assist you. Contact SIL Google Admin if you need our help. In addition to supplying your name and email address, provide a US/Canadian phone number or a Skype Id to help us connect with you.